


Babysitting

by ICantThinkOfADecentUsername



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Age Play, Gen, Non-Sexual Age Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-13 00:02:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7130027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ICantThinkOfADecentUsername/pseuds/ICantThinkOfADecentUsername
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Snow and Charming are in a pinch, they call on Regina to babysit Emma in her little mindset. Written for TabooExistence </p><p>The Emma/Regina relationship in this fic is non-sexual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TabooExistence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TabooExistence/gifts).



> Sorry this has taken so long, and sorry it'll be longer before I update my multi-chapter story.
> 
> To keep things brief and vague, there was something that introduced me to this genre, if you will, of fanfiction. That something recently removed itself from my life and it's been quite painful adjusting to that and being able to write these things without it's support is tricky. Anyway, enough of my sob story and on with the story at hand.

“Thanks again for doing this Regina.” Snow said gratefully. “We owe you big time.” 

“Yes, you do.” Regina agreed with her. This wasn’t exactly how she planned on spending her Saturday evening. Regina had become familiar with Emma’s decision to spend time in a small child’s mindset by accident when she swung by the loft apartment to pick up some comics for Henry. She had been surprisingly understanding of the whole situation. After all, although she didn’t say it out loud to any of the family she was the reason Emma missed out on a proper childhood with them in the first place. Who was she to deny her one now? So Regina made good on her promise to not tell a soul about Emma’s secret weekends, including Henry. What she wasn’t expecting was to be called into some last minute babysitting duty because the Charmings had some emergency royal duty to attend to. Apparently when she was being little, regardless of being an adult, she couldn’t be left alone and Regina was the only other adult in Storybrooke who knew about it.

“She’s watching cartoons just now. It’s her bed time in an hour. We shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of hours.” Charming quickly explained. “We’ve told her Auntie Regina’s come to look after her while mommy and daddy are away. She’s pretty nervous. That’s mostly her adult side worried you’ll make fun of her. We’ve reassured her as best we could.”

“So I’m stuck here for at least two hours with someone who thinks I’m going to make them cry. Great.” Regina sighed. They really did owe her big time. “Go on, get going.” She said as they hung back nervously. Snow and Charming nodded, scurrying out the door. Regina looked over her shoulder to the living room. She was going to have to go in and face Emma sooner or later. She took a deep breath and, walking as confidently as she could, stepped into the living room.

“Hello Emma.” She said in a neutral tone as she sat down on a vacant armchair.

“Hi.” Emma responded in a quiet voice. She was curled up defensively on the corner of the couch furthest away from Regina. She had her baby blanket clutched tightly in her hands. She seemed to be using it to shield herself. Regina guessed (correctly) that it was meant to stop her from seeing Emma’s pink pyjamas with little smiley faces dotted on them. Regina couldn’t help but feel bad for the woman. Of all the people in this town, Regina was the one who most understood wanting unconditional love from one’s parents. 

“I like your pretty pyjamas.” Regina commented. She saw the way it made Emma blush.

“Thank you.” Emma replied shyly. Regina smiled warmly in return, hoping it would help Emma open up. Otherwise it was going to be a long hour before bed time. Regina also didn’t like the idea of Emma watching TV right up until bed time. Perhaps there was something else they could be doing. It was then that Regina spotted the princess colouring book on the table with a box of crayons placed beside it.

“That looks like a pretty colouring book.” Regina commented. Emma took her gaze away from the cartoon and onto the colouring book. She nodded.

“It’s got lots of princesses.” She told Regina. Regina got off the seat and sat at the table instead. She pulled back the chair beside her. 

“So I see. Why don’t we put off the TV and colour before bed time?” Regina suggested. Emma seemed hesitant. She was worried about getting too close to Regina and slipping further into a little mindset. Regina patted the spare chair encouragingly. “Come on. I’ve found two pictures we can colour in together. I can do Belle on my side and you can do Sn…mommy on yours.” Emma perked up at that. She loved colouring in pictures of her mommy. She held her blanket tightly under one arm and walked over cautiously, sitting down beside Regina. Regina smiled and opened up the box of crayons, selecting one of the lighter blues. She began to colour in Belle’s dress, and after a couple of minutes, Emma began to colour in her mommy too. 

Regina talked to Emma as they coloured. Praising her for staying inside the lines and asking her about her colour choices. The hour seemed to pass almost too quickly. 

“Well would you look at that. I do believe it’s your bedtime.” Regina pointed out, looking at her watch. She hated the way Emma’s face fell.

“Will…will you read to me?” Emma asked nervously. Regina smiled.

“I’d love to.” She agreed. Emma’s nervous expression turned into a smile as she got off the chair and headed up to her bedroom with Regina. Regina allowed Emma to pick one of her favourite bedtime stories and hand it to her before she got her tucked up in bed and sat on the edge, reading to her. Before she was even finished Emma was out like a light. Regina smiled as she put the book back, turned off the light, and tiptoed back downstairs to wait until Snow and Charming were home. 

They arrived almost exactly when they said they would.

“Is she alright?” Were the first words out of Snow’s mouth. Regina wasn’t exactly surprised that Snow would be such a protective mother. 

“Tucked up in bed fast asleep. She was no trouble.” Regina assured the worried parents. They visibly relaxed.

“Thank you so much Regina. We really do owe you big time.” Charming commented.

“Really, it was fine. I’d best be heading off though. I need to think of a proper excuse for Henry. Good night.” Regina said before departing. She really didn’t mind. In fact, she wouldn’t mind at all if it were to happen again some time.


End file.
